Interchangeable plate-holder for printing-presses.



APPLIOATION FILED APR. 25. 1910.

Patented Apr.4, 1911.

da /a WITNESSES.-

N V N T0185 25% w 376% A TTORNE Y5 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KARL M. SGHLUETER AND FERDINAND SCI-ILUETER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

INTERCHANGEABLE PLATE-HOLDER FOR PRINTING-PRESSE$.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Application filed April 25, 1910. Serial No. 557,618.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, KARL M. SCHLUETER and FERDINAND SoHLUn'rEn, citizens of the United States, and residents of New York city, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Interchangeable Plate- Holders for Printing-Presses, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to interchangeable plate holders for printing presses of the character -having a grooved base for supporting beveled-edged printing plates.

Owing to the fact that the grooves of the base are arranged at an angle to the edges of the printing plate it has heretofore been necessary to construct a holder having one conformation of clamping-plate for engagement with the horizontal edges of the printing plate and another for engagement with the transverse edges of said printing plate thus requiring two sets of clamps.

The present invention has for its object to provide a device of this character which is interchangeable and susceptible of alternately clamping the horizontal and trans verse edges of the printing plate; further objects being to facilitate the operation of attaching the device to the base, whereby time is conserved, and to provide means for securely attaching the device in such a manner as to avoid liability of accidental removal or displacement.

These objects are attained by means of our improved device which comprises a triangular clamping-plate having beveled edges extended at right angles from each other, and expansible clamping members which are threaded on and moved laterally by a horizontal screw having both right and left handed threads and a centrally located head, said screw located below the surface of the base when the device is in place.

The invention will be hereinafter fully described and specifically set forth in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification Figure 1, is a plan view of a part of a printing press base hav- Fig. 1; and Fig. 4, is a similar view illustrating a slightly modified construction.

In the practice of our invention, as illustrated by the drawings, we provide two expansible clamping members a and Z), embodying plates having surfaces of a contour adapted to register with the abutting side walls of the base grooves wherein they are placed. The member 6, has a clampingplate 0, extended laterally therefrom which is triangular in contour and has beveled edges -0 and (Z, extended at right angles from each other which are adapted for engagement one with a vertical edge of a printing plate, and the other with a horizontal edge of said plate, whereby the device may be alternately used for vertical and horizontal edges of printing plates and successively connected to the several grooves of the base.

Extending on a horizontal line and threaded through the members a and Z), is a screw having a left hand thread 6, on one end and a right hand thread 7, on the other; said screw having a centrally located head g, for engagement with a wrench whereby the device may be operated. The clamping member a, is provided with a laterally extended flange h, for engagement over the bed surface to maintain the device in horizontal alinement.

WVhen the device is constructed for engagement with a dove-tailed groove, as illustrated by Fig. 4 of the drawings, the beveled edges of the members a and b, which abut against the side walls of the grooves are cut away at their lower parts 2', whereby but slight lateral movement of the parts a and Z), toward and away from each other is necessary during the operation of attaching or removing the device.

lVhile we have illustrated the device in connection with vertical-walled and dovetailed grooves we do not confine ourselves to these specific forms, as it is obvious that the clamping members may be provided with surfaces of contour adapted for engagement with the side walls of other shaped grooves without departing from the spirit of our invention.

In the operation and use of the invention, by turning the screw in one direction the clamping-members are moved laterally to- Ward each other for loosening the device from the groove and by turning said screw in the opposite direction they are caused to move away from each other to tightly con- I holder adapted for engaging either the lon- I tact against the side walls of the groove, whereby the device is securely clamped to the base.

The device owing to the fact that it is interchangeable within the grooves of the base and susceptible of use for engaging transverse and horizontal edges of a printing plate is very efficient and economical, and by its use the operation of clamping a print-ing plate to the base is greatly facilitated, and secure attachment is assured owing to the direct lateral movements of the expansible clamping members.

The invention is illustrated as connected to a fiat base, but it is also susceptible of being so constructed as to engage the grooves of a cylindrical base. We therefore do not confine ourselves to the specific form illustrated.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A printing plate holder comprising expa-nsible clamping-members adapted for engaging opposite side walls of a groove of a printing press base, one of said members having a clamping-plate extended laterally therefrom for engaging the surface of the base and having beveled edges on two of its sides, said sides extended at right angles from each other, and a right and left handed screw engaging and connecting the said clamping members, said screw having a centrally located head, substantially as shown and described.

2. An interchangeable printing plate gitudinal or transverse edges of a printing plate, the same comprising a clamping plate having two of its sides beveled and extended at right angles from each other and having a depending clamping member, and a similar clamping member having a lateral flange extended from its top, and a right and left handed screw having its respective ends in threaded engagement with the said clamping members, said screw having a centrally located head for engagement with a wrench whereby the clamping members may be simultaneously expanded for frictionally engaging opposite side walls of a groove of'a printing press base, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a printing plate holder, the combination, with a horizontal right and left handed screw havin a centrally located head; of two lateraly movable clamping members threaded respectively to the ends of said screw, whereby they may be simultaneously expanded for frictional engagement with opposite side walls of a groove of a printing press base by direct lateral movement, one of said clamping members having a laterally extended clamping-plate having two beveled edges which are extended at right angles from each other, and the other clamping member having a laterally extended flange for engaging the surface of a printing press base, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with a plate holder comprising a clamping-plate having two of its sides beveled and extended at right angles from each other and having a deaendin clam in -member and a similar clamping member having a lateral flange extended from its top, and a right and left handed screw having its respective ends in threaded engagement with the said clamping-members, said screw having a centrally located head for turning the same; of a grooved printing press base, the said clamping members frictionally engaging and held to opposite side walls of one groove thereof by means of the said screw, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention, we have signed our names in the presence of two witnesses, this 21st day of April, 1910.

KARL M. SCHLUETER. FERDINAND SCHLUETER.

Witnesses:

W. '1. Dow, ISRAEL C. NEWMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

